: Function ereg() is deprecated in /home/rady/public_html/includes/file.inc on line 895.

: Function ereg() is deprecated in /home/rady/public_html/includes/file.inc on line 895.

L

83

103

New York vs Miami

83 -
103

Record: 15-38

Nate Robinson drives past Gary Payton (AP Photo)

NEW YORK (AP) - Hours after the Knicks made their big deal to get Steve Francis , the Miami Heat showed why they don't think they need one.

Dwyane Wade and Jason Williams each had 24 points and five assists, and the Heat beat New York 103-83 Wednesday night for their fourth straight victory.

Antoine Walker added 16 points and Shaquille O'Neal had 15 for the Heat, who have won nine of 11 overall and six in a row against New York.

Miami coach Pat Riley said before the game that he wasn't planning to be aggressive before Thursday afternoon's trade deadline.

"I don't know why we need to make a trade," Walker said. "I feel like we're going to be together for a while. Everybody feels comfortable here. We played 18 or 19 games without the big fella, and now 50 games into the season things are starting to flow."

The last-place Knicks acquired Francis from the Orlando Magic earlier Wednesday for Trevor Ariza and Penny Hardaway. Francis could be paired with Stephon Marbury in a high-scoring - and very expensive - backcourt as the Knicks try to salvage a dismal season.

"It adds another player that can play," Marbury said. "We have two explosive guards. We have two guards that can score at any time."

Marbury returned to the lineup after missing eight straight games and 11 total with an injured right shoulder. Francis appeared at a pregame press conference, but won't make his Knicks debut until at least Friday night against New Jersey.

Channing Frye had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Knicks, who have lost 17 of 19. Marbury was 2-for-11 and had seven points in 30 minutes.

The Heat took control in the closing minutes of the first quarter and early moments of the second. Miami closed the first with a 10-3 spurt to take a 26-18 lead, then opened the second with an 8-2 burst to make it 34-20 on Wade's two free throws with 10:03 remaining in the half.

"We started to play very well at the end of the quarter and from that point on defensively we did a good job," Riley said. "We moved the ball real well and had other guys stepping up. I thought Antoine was really good tonight and we got the win."

The Knicks got within nine, but Williams made a 3-pointer with 6:45 to go and New York was never within single digits again.

"That's something we've needed out of him," Wade said of Williams. "He's got to hold up his end of the bargain. I told him that this morning and he did that tonight."

Miami extended the advantage to 19 points before the half, going into the break with a 57-38 lead on a jumper by Williams with 0.5 seconds to go. The Heat shot 23 free throws in the first half, while the Knicks were 3-for-4.

A brief flurry by New York cut it to 10 midway through the third, but Williams made a layup and Wade added seven points in a 10-2 run that gave Miami a 73-55 lead with 3:46 left in the period.

The only drama after that was a skirmish involving O'Neal midway through the final quarter. He shoved Malik Rose for an offensive foul, then threw the ball down in disgust and hit Rose with it, drawing a technical foul. Rose got up and the two jawed as players from both teams gathered while Jamal Crawford shot the technical free throw.

"I would say at least four or five times the double forearm's on his back," Riley said. "And I don't care, he's 340 pounds ... he gets fed up with it because he can't move."

O'Neal said that wasn't the reason he was annoyed.

"He was just out flopping and the refs fell for it," O'Neal said.

Notes:
Knicks president Isiah Thomas also said he didn't expect to aggressively seek another deal before the deadline. ... American snowboarder Shaun White, the Olympic gold medalist in the men's Halfpipe, sat courtside. ... The Heat have won their last four games at New York, a franchise record. ... Slam dunk champion Nate Robinson seemed to have an uncontested dunk, but Wade raced back to stop him with a hard foul with 1:25 left in the first half. Robinson did get one a minute later after a steal by Rose. ... The Knicks were 1-10 without Marbury.

All images and logos are copyrighted by NBA.com or the AP

KnicksOnline.com Poll

How many games will New York win this season?

Well, the new season's here! The playoff run last season was nice but how do you think the Knicks will do until April?